Psalm 124:1-8 “A Song of Ascents. By David. If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, let Israel now say, if it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us, then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their wrath was kindled against us, then the waters would have overwhelmed us, the stream would have gone over our soul. Then the proud waters would have gone over our soul. Blessed be the LORD, who has not given us as a prey to their teeth. Our soul has escaped like a bird out of the fowler’s snare. The snare is broken, and we have escaped. Our help is in the LORD’s name, who made heaven and earth.”

If something bad happens to us, we praise God because He is helping us to refine our lives.

Romans 5:3-5 “Not only this, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.“

And, if something good happens to us, we praise God because we are thankful for His help and blessing!

James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation nor turning shadow.”

For additional worship: Psalm 124 (Out of the Snare)

Psalm 123:1-4 “A Song of Ascents. I lift up my eyes to you, you who sit in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD, our God, until he has mercy on us. Have mercy on us, LORD, have mercy on us, for we have endured much contempt. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scoffing of those who are at ease, with the contempt of the proud.”

It’s hard living in a world that has contempt for those who follow God, but it shouldn’t be unexpected:

John 15:18 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you.”

When we are troubled and distressed, we lift up our eyes to our Lord and master. We call out to God for mercy and help!

Hebrews 4:16 “Let’s therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace for help in time of need.”

For additional worship: Tell it to Jesus

Psalm 122:1-9 “A Song of Ascents. By David. I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let’s go to the LORD’s house!’ Our feet are standing within your gates, Jerusalem! Jerusalem is built as a city that is compact together, where the tribes go up, even the LORD’s tribes, according to an ordinance for Israel, to give thanks to the LORD’s name. For there are set thrones for judgement, the thrones of David’s house. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Those who love you will prosper. Peace be within your walls, and prosperity within your palaces. For my brothers’ and companions’ sakes, I will now say, ‘Peace be within you.’ For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your good.”

Jerusalem is where the Israelites would go to offer sacrifices and to give thanks to God. Of course God’s people would pray for the peace of the city. The temple was there!

The Israelites have been oppressed and lied about for generation after generation. It certainly makes sense that we should pray for the Jewish people today. But we don’t have to worry about where we worship God. Anywhere we bow the knee to God is where we worship. Anywhere we gather to pray, praise, and study is where we engage in corporate worship!

John 4:21-24 “Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship that which you don’t know. We worship that which we know; for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to be his worshippers. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.’ ”

Since we understand the difference that Jesus brings to our worship, these verses should also encourage us to pray for other believers (since they are the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit), pray for our local church (which is where we go to meet God corporately), pray for the persecuted and suffering church (because they desperately need peace), and long for and pray for the return of Jesus and the advent of the heavenly Jerusalem where we will all dwell!

Revelation 21:9-14 “One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls which were loaded with the seven last plagues came, and he spoke with me, saying, ‘Come here. I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.’ He carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; having a great and high wall with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. On the east were three gates, and on the north three gates, and on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them twelve names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb.”

For additional worship: Revelation Song

Psalm 121:1-8 “A Song of Ascents. I will lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved. He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is your keeper. The LORD is your shade on your right hand. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all evil. He will keep your soul. The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in, from this time forward, and forever more.”

You’re going to worship in Jerusalem. As you go, your eyes look up and see the pagan shrines that people have built, thinking that their gods can help them. But you know the truth! There is only one creator, and He has chosen His people and revealed Himself to them as their Lord. He watches, guides, and protects. He preserves your very soul both now and forever!

You’re going through life. You see people around you worshipping other gods or perhaps worshipping themselves. They don’t understand that there is one true God who made heaven and earth, and that He has revealed Himself through Jesus Christ. He protects, guides, and preserves His children. They are His both now and forever, amen!

For additional worship: My God How Endless Is Thy Love

Psalm 120:1-7 “A Song of Ascents. In my distress, I cried to the LORD. He answered me. Deliver my soul, LORD, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue. What will be given to you, and what will be done more to you, you deceitful tongue? Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper. Woe is me, that I live in Meshech, that I dwell amongst the tents of Kedar! My soul has had her dwelling too long with him who hates peace. I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war.”

“A Song of Ascent” could mean that you are ascending the temple steps and singing, or that you are on a pilgrimage up the mountains to Jerusalem to worship.

Imagine that you are in a distant land. A land filled with unrighteous, immoral, and lying people. A land like where the barbarians live near the Black Sea in Asia Minor (Meshech), or where the nomadic Ishmaelites who periodically harassed the Israelites dwelled in Arabia (Kedar). Your soul is in distress and you long for peace, because the residents of the land are sinful and they don’t believe in God. You cry out as you go to worship, knowing that God will answer you and bring peace to your soul!

We live in a foreign and hostile land. We are surrounded by a people who don’t know and don’t follow God. Where can we go for peace? Only God! He can bring peace to our souls, and we know that one day we will live in a land of peace.

Philippians 4:6-7 “In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.”

Revelation 22:1-5 “He showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruits, yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There will be no curse any more. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no night, and they need no lamp light or sun light; for the Lord God will illuminate them. They will reign forever and ever.”

For additional worship: God of Grace and God of Glory

Psalm 119:169-176 “Let my cry come before you, LORD. Give me understanding according to your word. Let my supplication come before you. Deliver me according to your word. Let my lips utter praise, for you teach me your statutes. Let my tongue sing of your word, for all your commandments are righteousness. Let your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts. I have longed for your salvation, LORD. Your law is my delight. Let my soul live, that I may praise you. Let your ordinances help me. I have gone astray like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I don’t forget your commandments.”

Repentance. Restoration. Salvation. Exaltation! It all comes back to the Word. It guides. It promises. It protects. It provides hope. It gives us certainty and stability in a world that is desperately looking for answers and coming to all the wrong conclusions. Let our tongues sing of His Word, for all God’s commandments are right and righteousness!

For additional worship: The Rock Won’t Move

Psalm 119:161-168 “Princes have persecuted me without a cause, but my heart stands in awe of your words. I rejoice at your word, as one who finds great plunder. I hate and abhor falsehood. I love your law. Seven times a day, I praise you, because of your righteous ordinances. Those who love your law have great peace. Nothing causes them to stumble. I have hoped for your salvation, LORD. I have done your commandments. My soul has observed your testimonies. I love them exceedingly. I have obeyed your precepts and your testimonies, for all my ways are before you.”

“Seven” is a number that represents completeness. It is probably equivalent to Paul saying, “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). “Great peace” (shalom) is the fullness of God’s blessings that comes to the person who obeys. Rejoicing in God’s Word causes us to stay on a righteous path and helps us to keep from stumbling. The one possible difference between the Psalmists understanding and ours it that the hope we have regarding salvation is a certainty based upon Jesus Christ!

Colossians 1:26-27 “the mystery which has been hidden for ages and generations. But now it has been revealed to his saints, to whom God was pleased to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery amongst the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

For additional worship: Word of God

Using Your Gifts as an Act of Worship

Romans 12:3-8

I) We serve because we ______________ God

II) Everyone has a _______ to do

     A) The church is a ___________

     B) Every member of the body has a different ______________

III)  We should be _____________ because we need each other

     A) We have an underlying __________ revealed here

     B) We _________ each other

     C) Every job is __________________

     D) Don’t think too highly of ________________

IV) We need to _________ our gifts

     A) The _________________

     B) We are commanded to _________ them

     C) Be humble, but don’t ____________!

     D) There is __________ in not using them

V) How am I ___________?

     A) We should use both our __________ and our gifts

     B) You could use a _____________

     
     C) Possible diagnostic __________________

          1) What do I do _______? 

          2) What do I ____________ doing?

          3) How have I __________ people?

     D) Don’t let it become an excuse not to ____________

Psalm 119:153-160 “Consider my affliction, and deliver me, for I don’t forget your law. Plead my cause, and redeem me! Revive me according to your promise. Salvation is far from the wicked, for they don’t seek your statutes. Great are your tender mercies, LORD. Revive me according to your ordinances. Many are my persecutors and my adversaries. I haven’t swerved from your testimonies. I look at the faithless with loathing, because they don’t observe your word. Consider how I love your precepts. Revive me, LORD, according to your loving kindness. All of your words are truth. Every one of your righteous ordinances endures forever.”

As we change Hebrew letters with each section (only two to go to complete the alphabet), we find that there is a lot of repetition. But is that a bad thing? We would do well to recall the truth and reviving power of God’s Word. We should always realize that we need God’s mercy and help. And we need that constant reminder to live our lives according to God’s ordinances, because there is a world out there that doesn’t!

For additional worship: God Has Spoken By His Prophets

Psalm 119:145-152 “I have called with my whole heart. Answer me, LORD! I will keep your statutes. I have called to you. Save me! I will obey your statutes. I rise before dawn and cry for help. I put my hope in your words. My eyes stay open through the night watches, that I might meditate on your word. Hear my voice according to your loving kindness. Revive me, LORD, according to your ordinances. They draw near who follow after wickedness. They are far from your law. You are near, LORD. All your commandments are truth. Of old I have known from your testimonies, that you have founded them forever.”

There is an interesting way of looking at this passage. Have you ever been at a place in your life when you’ve not been following God, and it got bad enough that you finally turned to Him? And in turning back to Him you try to bargain? “Lord, help me and I’ll make sure to obey your Word!”

Genesis 28:18-22 “Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put under his head, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil on its top. He called the name of that place Bethel, but the name of the city was Luz at the first. Jacob vowed a vow, saying, ‘If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and clothing to put on, so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, and the LORD will be my God, then this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, will be God’s house. Of all that you will give me I will surely give a tenth to you.’ ”

But perhaps what is here is simply a reflection of the Psalmist’s heart: “I’m in trouble. Please answer me! I’ll continue to keep your word while I wait.” In fact, if we look at this as a template for prayer, we find that we should pray:

• Wholeheartedly
• Without ceasing
• With the Word
• As a reflection of our relationship
• As a recognition of our need for help

For additional worship: I Believe You (Megan Woods)